Parathoracaphis spinapilosa, Chen, Jing, Jiang, Li-Yun & Qiao, Ge-Xia, 2016

Chen, Jing, Jiang, Li-Yun & Qiao, Ge-Xia, 2016, Review of Parathoracaphis Takahashi, 1958 with description of a new species from China (Hemiptera, Aphididae, Hormaphidinae), ZooKeys 623, pp. 61-73 : 67-70

Taxon classification Animalia Hemiptera Aphididae

Parathoracaphis spinapilosa sp. n. Figs 8-10, 12-23, 24-25, Table 1

Etymology.

The new species is named for a pair of spine-like, long, thick, and pointed frontal setae. “Spina” (Latin) means “thorn”, “pilosa” (Latin) means “hair”.

Diagnosis.

Body small, aleyrodiform. Dorsum of prosoma densely covered with convoluted markings medially and short folded-line shaped sculptures pleuro-marginally. Head with a pair of spine-like frontal setae. Dorsum of prosoma with four pairs of minute spinal setae and 16 pairs of spine-like submarginal setae. Antennae 3- or 4-segmented. Tarsi 2-segmented. Claws normal.

Description.

Apterous viviparous females: Body oval, aleyrodiform, and strongly sclerotized (Fig. 12). Black in life, with a fringe of long and curved wax filaments, the filaments sparse at the hind end of body (Fig. 25). For morphometric data see Table 1.

Mounted specimens.

Body brown; cauda, anal plate, and genital plate pale in color. Prosoma consisting of fused head, thorax, and abdominal segments I–VII; abdominal segment VIII free (Figs 8, 12). Dorsum of prosoma densely covered with convoluted markings medially and short folded-line shaped sculptures pleuro-marginally (Figs 8, 12-14). The margin of dorsal prosoma with a short transversely striped band, band margin with small shallowly crenulated wax glands (Fig. 15). Between each segment of thoracic notum and abdominal tergites I–IV, shallow concave lines present at pleural and marginal area of prosoma; concave lines between abdominal tergites III and IV sometimes indistinct (Fig. 12). Abdominal tergite VIII with long and short ripples, distributed densely on posterior margin (Fig. 8). Head with a pair of frontal setae, spine-like, long, thick, and pointed (Figs 10, 16, indicated with an arrow in Fig. 8). Dorsum of prosoma with 16 pairs of long thick and spine-like submarginal setae, pointed or somewhat blunt at apices, arising from tuberculate bases (Fig. 8); head dorsum with two pairs anterior to eyes and a pair between eyes (Figs 8, 17), pro-, meso-, and meta-notum each with two pairs, abdominal tergites I–VII each with a pair (Fig. 8); submarginal setae on abdominal tergite V finer and shorter than setae on other tergites, pointed at apices, located near body margin (Fig. 18). Pro-, meso-, meta-notum, and abdominal tergite I each with a pair of minute spinal setae. Abdominal tergite VIII with four setae, similar to submarginal setae on dorsal prosoma (Fig. 8). Frons not protuberant. Eyes 3-faceted. Antennae 3-segmented, rarely 4-segmented, concealed under head, with two apical setae (Figs 9, 19). Primary rhinaria small, rounded, and placed wide apart. Rostrum short, reaching to fore coxae. Ultimate rostral segment short, thick, and blunt, with two pairs of primary setae and a pair of secondary setae (Fig. 20). Legs short, smooth, concealed under body, trochanter and femur fused. Tarsi 2-segmented. First tarsal chaetotaxy: 2, 2, 2. Dorsoapical setae on second tarsal segment expanded at apex and longer than claws. Claws normal. Siphunculi absent. Cau da and anal plate with spinules, genital plate with spinulose transverse stripes. Cauda knobbed, constricted at base, with six or seven setae (Fig. 21). Anal plate bilobed, each lobe with 4-6 setae (Fig. 22). Genital plate broadly rounded, with two anterior setae and 6-8 setae along the posterior margin (Fig. 23).

Specimens examined.

Holotype: apterous viviparous female, CHINA: Yunnan (Kunming City, Mt. Xishan), 24 Apr 1995, No. 13480-1-4-2, on Fagaceae , coll. G.X. Qiao (NZMC). Paratypes: 25 apterous viviparous females, with the same collection data as holotype (NZMC); 4 apterous viviparous females, No. 13480-1-5, with the same collection data as holotype (NHM); 9 apterous viviparous females (COI: KX709878), CHINA: Fujian (Jiangle County, Mt. Longqi, 26.5109°N, 117.2907°E, altitude 730 m), 17 Jun 2011, No. 26901, on Quercus sp., coll. J. Chen, Q.H. Liu, and X.T. Li (NZMC).

Taxonomic notes.

The new species resembles the type species Parathoracaphis setigera (Takahashi), but differs from it as follows: dorsum of prosoma densely covered with convoluted markings medially and short folded-line shaped sculptures pleuro-marginally (Figs 8, 12-14) (the latter with convoluted markings in medial and pleural area, and marginal area covered with branched linear markings radiating outwards, Figs 4, 6); head with a pair of long thick and spine-like frontal setae (Fig. 10) (in the latter: these are much shorter and finer, Fig. 11); dorsum of prosoma with 16 pairs of submarginal setae (the latter: 15 pairs, the pair on abdominal tergite V absent); head dorsum with two pairs of submarginal setae anterior to eyes, along the body margin, and a pair between eyes (Fig. 17) (the latter: all three pairs located along the body margin, Fig. 5); antennae 3- or 4-segmented (the latter: 2-segmented).

Distribution.

China (Fujian and Yunnan).

Host plants.

Quercus sp. and unidentified Fagaceae species.

Biology.

Forming large colonies on the undersides of leaves of host plant (Fig. 24). The colony is attended by ants. Apterae bear long and curved wax filaments around the body (Fig. 25). The life cycle is unknown.